When Lucy heard of the legend where if you fold a thousand paper cranes, your wish will come true, she began right away. her mother was ill, her health declining day by day. Lucy hoped that her wish would be granted. She hoped her mother's illness would go away.
"My lady, please come down and eat." Spetto called from behind the door.
"If I go down to eat, I won't be able to finish a thousand cranes," Lucy replied.
"Your father has asked of you," the maid continued quietly, "please do not anger him." Lucy sighed and made her way to the door.
Her room had many paper cranes, they'd be able to fit in her closet. She claimed to never have the time to clean her room. She didn't let anyone come in, not even her father. She had said that, if even one of the cranes were moved, she'd lose count.
Spetto led her to the large yet empty dining room. Lucy looked around. "Where's Papa?"
"My deepest apologies. I lied so that you would come down to eat. You haven't eaten in days, if you want to continue folding those paper cranes, you'll need strength." She bowed. "Please forgive me."
"It's fine." Lucy sat down. "Is Papa with Mama?"
"I believe so, yes." Lucy hummed thoughtfully as she shoveled some soup into her mouth.
I finished six hundred forty-four cranes already. She smiled. Alright! After I finish eating, I'll get right back to work!
Spetto saw her smile and sadly whispered. "She doesn't have much time left."
When Natsu was told of a wish granting legend where if you fold one thousand paper cranes, he started immediately. His father's sudden disappearance left him in his uncle Atlas' care. Not that he hated him, but Natsu wanted his father back.
"Natsu, how long has it been since you went to the bathroom?" Atlas asked as he walked past the basement door.
"Dunno, maybe a day?" Atlas quickly ran inside and hit Natsu on the head.
"Idiot! Have you been holding in your pee?"
"So what if I am? And didn't I tell you not come in here? What if you crushed a crane?" Natsu retorted.
"You are going to use that toilet!" He threw Natsu inside. "And while you're at it, take a shower." Atlas pinched his nose. "You stink!"
"But I have three hundred fifty-six cranes to go!" Natsu fumed. The boy angrily began to scrub at his skin with soap, muttering curses.
On the other side of the door, Atlas sighed. "Where did he learn all those words?" The man glanced at the calendar. Two months since Igneel's mysterious departure. "Where the hell did you go?"
"Lucy." The little girl turned and smiled.
"Papa! I only need to fold one more paper crane!" She raised the piece of paper high.
"Lucy." He repeated. Lucy's smile faltered. Why was he being so serious?
"Papa?" She asked. Her confused face slowly became one of horror. "No! No, don't tell me. . .!" When Jude looked away, she got her answer. Lucy ran into her father's arms and sobbed.
"Jude patted her back, but it did little to comfort her. "Lucy, don't be sad. Papa's still here. He's still here for you."
"I only needed to fold one more! One more!" She buried herself deeper into his clothes. "This isn't fair," she muttered, her voice muffled.
"She wants you to stay happy." He looked at her in the eye. "Can you keep the promise?"
"I'll try." Lucy sniffled.
"Good girl." He kissed her forehead. "Make her proud, okay?"
"Why's the volume so loud? Noisy. . ." Natsu yawned as he walked into the living room. Atlas jumped and tried to turn off the television. Natsu frowned and took the remote. "What's going on?"
"Nothing, nothing at all," Atlas nervously stammered as he blocked the screen.
"You know I can just do this, right?" Natsu began to raise the volume.
"Wait!" Atlas tried to turn off the television manually, but it was too late.
"-Reported dead at the scene, a man identified only as Igneel was found in an alley by 8-Island. The cause of his death is-" Atlas turned the TV off. Natsu dropped the remote.
"Natsu, I know it's upsetting but-" Natsu grabbed the bottom of his uncle's shirt angrily.
"But what?" Why'd you try to hide this from me? I could care less for a man who left his family without saying anything. Why were you trying to keep me in the dark, huh? I hate you! I hate you and Igneel!" The boy let go and began to cry.
"You don't mean that."
"So what if I don't?! I was just one crane away, you know? Just one stupid crane away!" Atlas knelt down.
"You can always wish for something else." Natsu looked up angrily.
"You don't get it, do you? The reason why I folded those cranes were to get him back. That was my wish! What other wish do I have? None!"
"Natsu," Atlas tried to comfort his nephew.
"Don't touch me!" Natsu slapped his hand away and ran to the basement. His uncle just watched him go.
"Why did you just have to leave him? Idiot." He said, looking at the ceiling.
Ten Years Later. . .
"Without him, you're incomplete." Lucy muttered, reading the letter. She had thought it was another simple love letter, but now she was glad Levy had persuaded her to at least glance over it. "Incomplete? Without who?"
As she pondered the meaning of the letter, she bumped into someone, causing them drop whatever they held. "Ah, sorry!"
"It's fine." Natsu turned around and grinned. "Clumsy as ever, eh?"
"Geez, don't tease me." Lucy pouted and picked up what her friend dropped. "Huh?" It was a letter, but not just any letter. The contents simply read, Without her, you're incomplete.
"H-hey! Don't read that!" He snatched it back hurriedly.
"No way, you too?" Lucy fished her letter out of her bag and let Natus look.
"Why do you have one too?"
"How am I supposed to know? Do you know what it means, by any chance?"
"Nope." Natsu replied nonchalantly. He began picking his nose.
"Sometimes, I'm not even sure how I can tolerate you and stay as your friend," Lucy said, disgusted. Natsu flicked the booger away.
"That's 'cause you love me."
"Sure I do," Lucy rolled her eyes.
"So you don't? Then how about this!?" Natsu hugged her tightly.
"D-d-don't touch me with your filthy-" She was stopped midsentence with a kiss.
"You talk too much, Lucy." She blushed madly.
The next day, she received another letter. In the same print, this letter read, He holds a secret.
Natsu holds a secret? Lucy doubted it. Natsu was a blabbermouth. He couldn't keep secrets and he never seemed to stop talking about his life. She knew his father died when he was young. She knew Atlas wasn't a great uncle, but he tried his best.
He knew of her mother's death and how she had planned to run away before, although she never actually did. She looked up and saw Natsu hold another letter. She holds a secret.
"You're not keeping a secret, are you?" They asked at the same time. They looked at each other in surprise before laughing.
There's no way he would keep a secret from me, Lucy pushed away all her doubt. Whoever sent the letters must be messing with them. But the question remained. Who was sending them the cryptic letters?
The third letter was just as confusing as the first. He's just like you. Natsu wasn't here because he got sick over the weekend. At best, he'd be back tomorrow. But that meant she wouldn't know if he got another letter, she wouldn't be able to compare them.
"Just who in the world is pranking me?" For some reason, her mind asked another question. How do you know it's a prank? Great, not her mind was working against her. Pushing the traitorous thought away, she walked out of school.
If what the letter implied was true, that really meant Natsu didn't tell her something. Maybe I should just investigate it myself. She nodded. If she really wanted to know what was going on, she'd have to figure it out herself.
Of course he had to be sick and stay home on a Monday. Monday, the day where you learn a whole bunch of stuff and have a test the same week. Natsu groaned when he heard a knock on this door.
"I'm sorry, but the person you are trying to reach is unavailable at the moment, please leave a message after the tone." He didn't bother making a sound. However, things were against him today. His alarm clock began going off.
"Well, I'll just use that." Atlas waltzed in. "Letter for you, kind sir."
"Don't mock me." Natsu grumbled. His uncle waved goodbye and closed the door behind him. Natsu's eyes widened. This letter was. . .! Opening it forcefully, he read the message.
Tomorrow, at her house, it will be revealed.
"What does that mean?" Her house? Well, if he had to go to her house, then he could use studying as an excuse. Natsu was curious. With what the letter was implying, Lucy had a secret.
It was decided. He'll go to her place and see the secret for himself, even if it made her cry.
Today. That one word sent shivers down her spine. Today? What was going to happen today? She thought about it for a moment before sighing.
"It feels like all I've been doing lately is over think letter."
"Luce!" She turned around.
"Natsu," she greeted. "Did you get a letter again?"
"Yeah." His face turned grim. It says, You won't regret it." Lucy shivered again.
"Mine says Today. These messages are dark."
"That's weird, why's it different today? Anyway, can I come to your place today?"
"To catch up?"
"Yeah."
"Sure, I see nothing wrong with that." Lucy could've sworn she saw Natsu sigh in relief.
"Then, see you later."
Before leaving school that day, Lucy got another message. Two in one day?
Lean into the embrace.
"That doesn't make any sense. What embrace?" Lucy was left utterly confused. Could it mean Natsu? Meeting up with Natsu, they walked to Lucy's house in silence.
"I'll make tea," Lucy said immediately after they got home. "My room's third to the right upstairs." Natus nodded and left the room.
He took his sweet time. He walked into every room trying to find anything out of the ordinary. On one hand, he felt horrible to be eavesdropping and trespassing.
"Sorry for the intrusion." He'd say as he opened the door only to be greeted with silence.
One the other hand, he felt like a ninja. "Nin nin" He snuck into another room, finding a bathroom instead. Sighing, he decided to actually go to Lucy's room.
Pulling out a piece of paper, he mulled over the sentence. Show her your similarities. He only came to find the secret and even then he couldn't find it. But that means I will find it today, right?
Lucy's room was quite simple. That, and it was also rather large. A bed by the windows, a desk, dresser and two doors. There was so much space left in the room, Natsu couldn't help but wonder if Lucy ever felt lonely. Before he could check what was behind the doors, Lucy came back with the tea.
"Sorry for the wait." Lucy set the tray down. Natsu thanked her as she gave him a cup.
"Do you ever feel lonely in here?" He asked as they sipped their tea.
"Not really, the maids always made sure I never felt lonely."
"That so?" He took another sip. "By the way, where do those doors lead to?"
"The one on the right, over there, leads to the bathroom." She proved it by opening the door. Natsu's jaw dropped.
"It's huge!" Huge bathroom, huge bathtub, pristine sink and toilet, what else to expect of a mansion? "What about the other one?"
She shrugged and sat down on the floor. "Closet. There's stuff from when I was a kid."
"Like?" He prompted.
"Hm?"
"What type of stuff."
"A lot of the same thing."
"Stuffed animals?"
"Animals yes, stuffed ones, no?" She answered.
"They're being held captive?" Natsu gasped. "How could you?"
"Wait, what?" Lucy asked bewildered.
"Don't worry! I'll save you guys!" Natsu ran to the closet.
"Wai-" He slammed the door open and looked at the contents in shock. Numerous paper cranes tied to a string were hung on the top in multiple colors. Natsu thought it was strange that it was the only thing in the closet.
"Did it come true? Your wish." Her lips began to quiver.
"One more." She began to tear up.
"One more?"
"I needed one more. But my purpose disappeared." Lucy started shaking as she cried. "She died before I finished the last one." Natsu looked at her sympathetically. He knew Layla was very influential to Lucy, but he never knew Lucy had been like him. Her wish had disappeared and her dream had been crushed.
". . ." The boy wrapped his arms around her and said nothing.
No words were needed to Lucy. The arms and Natsu himself was already comforting.
Lean into the embrace.
So this is what it meant. After a while, Lucy calmed down and spoke. "You know about the legend?"
"Yeah." Natsu murmured. "Come to my place tomorrow. Bring those cranes." She looked at him confused.
"Okay, but why?"
"You won't forget it." He replied. Ah, that's what his letter said.
"After school?"
". . .After school."
Today, cradling her cranes, Lucy followed Natsu as he led her down the basement. It's dark, I can't see anything, she noted. As if reading her thoughts, Natsu spoke.
"I'm just like you." Turning on the lights, Lucy blinked a few times, adjusting to the sudden light.
All around the room, paper cranes were scattered everywhere. The blonde gasped in surprise.
"You too?" She quickly deduced the reason. "Your father?" Natsu nodded.
"I also needed one more." He muttered. "But," he continued louder and stronger, "I have another wish." He took out a piece of paper. "I'm going to wish that you have a happy life, from now on."
"Natsu. . ." Lucy smiled. "Then, me too." She placed the bundle of cranes in a clean corner and took another piece of paper. "I'll wish that you have a happy life from here on out." Natsu grinned.
"Let's make the last fold together!"
"Alright, let's say our wish out loud together."
"Okay!" Natsu smiled. They folded their final crane in a comfortable silence.
As Lucy folded the paper, she began to reflect about her relationship with Natsu. Yes they were friends, yes they both had wishes previously uncompleted, but what made them so special as to get the letters? She began thinking of the times they spent together.
She remembered their chaotic first meeting, where Natsu literally crashed the into the party. She remembered how much he slacked off during group projects together. But most importantly, she remembered his kindness.
How he tried to cheer her up after her first F by purposely, pulling pranks on people nearby. How he had helped her reconcile with her father after a fight. How he held her gently as she cried her eyes out. How playful his kisses were. . .
Lucy blushed at the last thought. They weren't even a couple and yet she couldn't count how many times he had kissed her, let alone hug. But the blonde knew that while she'd scold him every time he hugged or kissed her, she secretly didn't mind. Then, Lucy realized. She didn't just want Natsu to have a happy life. She wanted to be a part of that life.
Alright, I've changed my wish. Hopefully he doesn't mind. Lucy stopped with the last fold to be made. Natsu looked up a few seconds later.
"Ready?" She nodded. "Okay! Three, two, one. . ."
"I wish to have a happy life together." They spoke in unison, eyes widening when they realized what the other had said.
"Natsu?"
"Lucy?" Natsu was confused. "Why. . .?"
"I want to be with you, so. . ." Lucy looked down at her feet, suddenly ashamed. Hey, wait a minute. "What about-"
The next thing she knew, she was tackled to the floor with a kiss. "I want to be with you forever." Natsu whispered. "Without you. . ."
"I'm incomplete." Lucy finished. Natsu got off of her and let her sit up.
"Lucy, the thing by your hand, is it what I think it is?" It was a letter addressed to the both of them. "How did it get here?" Lucy didn't reply as she picked it up.
"What does it say?" Natsu leaned in impatiently.
You are complete. They smiled.
"You were rushing things." A feminine voice scolded. "Impulsive as always."
"What'd you expect? He got it from me, afterall."
"Indeed."
"She's just like you too." The woman smiled.
"I know." She raised her glass. "Here's to their bright future together."
"To their bright future." The man did the same.